Indonesia’s leader in medical tourism, BIMC Hospital Nusa Dua, is now offering Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy, a revolutionary new treatment for a variety of injuries.

BIMC Hospital orthopedic surgeon Dr. Wien Aryana said the Bali-based hospital group is now providing PRP to those suffering chronic or acute joint pain. The simple injection that uses one’s own blood plasma complements BIMC’s non-surgical physical therapy options, and is targeting the growing number of medical tourists from Australia, many with chronic musculoskeletal issues from sports injuries.

PRP therapy has been used since the 1990s to aid bone healing after spinal injury and tissue recovery following plastic surgery, but only in recent years has it become popular for treatment of injuries such as tennis and golf elbow and knee problems caused by jogging and a variety of sports. Tiger Woods used PRP following knee surgery, AFL footballer Adam Cooney for degenerative knee problems, Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Takashi Saito to treat an elbow injury, and two Pittsburgh Steelers, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu, used it before winning the American Super Bowl.

But it’s not just recognized celebrity athletes who are taking advantage of PRP. Perth native and BIMC Siloam Hospitals Group Bali Executive Chairman Craig Beveridge said all ages and all people are benefitting from the procedure. “The treatment is one of a growing number of therapies that enhance the body’s ability to heal itself. We’re now seeing many visitors to Bali seeking consultation from our orthopedic specialists for a variety of complaints such as shoulder pain, hip and ankle strains and joint osteoarthritis.”

Beveridge explains that his group of hospitals follows the same protocols and procedures as those in Australia, its Nusa Dua hospital currently underway with its assessment and accreditation from ACHS (the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards) for completion in July. “Our orthopedic doctors like Dr. Wien take a small quantity of a person’s blood and spin it down to golden-colored platelets and then inject a person’s knee, as an example.”

Dr. Wien says the PRP injections naturally activate growth factors and stem cell markers to help stimulate repair of the tissue, calm symptoms, and reduce inflammation. “We usually recommend one shot a week for three weeks, each visit taking about half an hour from start to finish though a single visit will show very good benefits. The procedure involves no pain.”

Dr. Wien says their charges are painless too compared to Australia with a cost of PRP at BIMC roughly 40% lower than at a Perth or Sydney clinic.

On average, most patients start to see signs of improvement anywhere from 4-8 weeks after treatment. Not only is there less overall pain, the patient is able to perform for longer periods before any pain might return.